Catherine Gifford of Settle gave birth to an illegitimate son, William Gifford. That was another wedding that didn’t happen and, two years later, Catherine married Joseph Gill, a stonemason, from Pateley Bridge. Joseph was happy to bring up young William within the family. Joseph and Catherine had a further five children living in one of the eight houses in Chapel Square. Little Ellen Gill was their fourth child and died a few days after her birth. She was buried in the infants’ corner, EX27 in July 1840.
Catherine’s illegitimate son, William Gifford, had a really successful life. He started life as a shoemaker in Long Preston but then became the town’s Registrar for Births, Marriages and Deaths and the Assistant Overseer of the Poor, both very well regarded roles in the community. He married Elizabeth Todd and they brought up her niece, Jane Todd.
In an incredible snippet of history, William was on the committee organising the presentation of a life-boat to the RNLI. The Settle branch of the RNLI had raised enough money for a lifeboat, ‘Ellen and Margaret’ which was paraded around the market place in Settle before transporting to serve at Hornsea, north of Hull. The Settle RNLI branch raised enough money for seven lifeboats in all, saving over 120 lives.
William died in 1882, aged just 50, his obituary mentioning ‘his every movement tended to the benefit and advancement of his fellow townsmen’. He was also a correspondent for the Craven Herald newspaper and worked for the Mechanics’ Institute. A good man. William was buried with his wife and niece in Long Preston. Not bad for an illegitimate son!